Energy-rich Azerbaijan, whose economy has been hit hard by falling oil prices, withdrew support Monday for its embattled currency and the manat plunged by nearly a third against the dollar.
According to the Central Bank Governor Kairat Kelimbetov, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are best prepared for global economic shocks among all post-Soviet countries apart from Russia.
Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan, has met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the leaders of Azerbaijan, Cuba, Czech Republic, Mongolia, Serbia, South Africa, Venezuela during his official two-day visit to Moscow, Russia.
French President Francois Hollande raised rights abuses with ex-Soviet Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev at talks focused on its simmering dispute with Armenia.